Automatic resetting target



y 1951 c. M. FOYST AUTOMATIC RESETTING TARGEIIT Filed April 26, 1949 Inventor Cash M. Foyst Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE iiJ'TQh/[ATIC RESETTING TARGET Cash M. Fcyst, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 26, 1949, Serial No. 89,667

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in targets for use with rifles, pistols and similar firearms and more particularly to a disappearing target to be moved out of vision by impact of a bullet to indicate that the target has been struck together with means for automatically resetting the target.

An important object of the invention is to provide a. target of this character constructed for easy portability and embodying means for attaching the same in a suitable position to a convenient supporting structure and embodying a pair of alternately raising and lowering target disks connected to each other whereby the lowering of one target when struck by a bullet will automatically raise the other target.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient andreliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise Well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the de tails of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a side elevational View, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the shaft for one of the targets taken on a line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates an attaching base preferably constructed of a metal casting and formed at its front edge with an upstanding shield or guard 6.

A pair of bearing brackets l and 8 project upwardly from base 5 in an oifset position with respect to each other, the bearing 1 having a shaft 9 journaled therein while a second shaft 10 is journaled in bearing 8. v

A pair of targets II and I2 of a disk shape are each provided at one edge with an arm l3, the arm of target ll being suitably secured to shaft 9 while the arm of target 12 is suitably secured to shaft ID for swinging the target vertically into a raised and lowered position by a rotation of said shafts.

Gears [4 and [5 are suitably secured on the adjacent ends of shafts 9 and I 0, the gears being of a spur type and engaged with each other.

In the operation of the device, the arms I 3 of targets l l and [2 are set on the respective shafts 9 and ID at angles of 90 with respect to each other so that when one target is positioned upright and projecting upwardly above shield 6, the other target will :be positioned horizontally behind the shield as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.

The impact of a bullet striking the upstanding target will swing the same downwardly into a horizontal position behind shield 0 and the movement of the downwardly moving target will be imparted to the second target through the gearing it and [5 to raise the second target from its horizontal position into an upstanding or set position.

Rubber stops or bumpers I6 project upwardly from the rear portion of base 5 in the path of downward movement of the respective targets to reduce the shock of downward movement of the target and to prevent possible injury thereto.

The base 5 is also provided with a suitable number of openings H in which attaching cords l8 may be secured for attaching the base 5 to stakes i9 driven into the ground, or for attaching the base to a post or other suitable supporting structure.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A target comprising a support, a shield at the front edge of the support, a pair of shafts journaled on the support, a target disk secured to each shaft for vertical swinging movement from an upstanding position above the shield into a horizontal position behind the shield, gears secured to each shaft and engaged with each other for oppositely moving the disks, and stops for limiting movement of said disks through an arc of degrees.

CASH M. FOYST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 157,335 Lyon Dec. 1, 1874 1,036,879 Miner Aug. 27', 1912 1,348,540 Briggs Aug. 3, 1920 1,845,609 Knipper Feb. 16, 1932 2,085,933 Vaughan m." July 6, 1937 

